ICYMI: Gen Z Creators Drag Amazon
Here's what happened on social media this week, August 19
I’m back from a break, which I encourage everyone to take regularly. Thank you for clicking in and reading my newsletter of trends for and about creators!
💻 ROADMAP
📲 TikTok Search: We already know Gen Z doesn’t Google, they TikTok, now the app is looking to enhance their search capabilities even further: some users are seeing linked keywords within comments that autolink through to search results for that term.
This ABC News piece sums up the appeal of TikTok searches — "You're seeing a three-sixty view into a destination, or experience, or product" — and how Gen Z still relies on Google for certain things:
TikTok search is for vibes
Google search is for more serious subjects or to fact check TikTok
Visual search results are key on all platforms
Here are some ways to think about this as a creator or a SMB to make sure you’re producing relevant social content for search and discovery:
Consider how you’ll be found, whether it’s through:
The text you’re writing, which includes captions, text overlays, hashtags, replies, alt text and even the name you give your video files or thumbnail jpgs.
The photo and video content you’re posting. Pinterest’s visual search tool is a good example of the technological capabilities to find relevant products.
Consider your brand’s overall perception once you are found on social (ie, you want your profile to be as useful as a Google search result)
The grid does matter when people are evaluating doing business with you. Do the visuals convey how you want your brand to be perceived?
Does all copy (bio, captions, replies, text on screen) accurately portray who you are as a business?
Is there an easy way for people to get in touch with you?
Is it clear how to book a service or make a purchase?
What we’re not doing is keyword stuffing — that’s very website SEO strategies circa the 2010s. Even Google is trying to play catch up on sites that produce low quality content simply to rank for popular search terms. The company just announced some key updates to its Search algorithms which will put more emphasis on content quality and depth. Lean into that niche!
🟢 TikTok’s AI Greenscreen: TikTok is rolling out a text-to-image AI generator called AI greenscreen that allows users to type in a text prompt and generate a background for their videos. (Type “AI greenscreen” into the search bar to find the effect.)
📝 Meta Updates: Several Instagram feature updates were announced this week including the ‘Add Yours’ Sticker which will now be featured on Reels. Good news: creators will get attribution for creating trending Add Yours stickers!
Plus you’ll now be able to crosspost a Reel from Instagram to Facebook. Even if you’re not focused on building out your Facebook profile, it doesn’t hurt to crosspost and keep your account alive.
👻 Snap Updates: Snap announced Snapchat+ now has over 1 million paying subscribers, plus 4 new features dropping this week: Priority Story Replies; Post View Emoji; Exclusive Bitmoji Backgrounds; and Custom App Icons.
On the flipside, Snap announced it was scrapping its Pixy drone selfie camera less than four months after launching the product.
▶️ YouTube Updates: Cross-posting content is about to get a little more complicated. YouTube announced it would add a watermark to downloaded Shorts. Officially, they’re saying it’s to help creator discovery but as fellow marketer Lindsey Gamble points out it actually hurts creators because either they have to spend more time creating content specifically for each platform or they repurpose watermarked content that is negatively impacted by the algorithm.
👆🏻 CLICK THRU
🚫 Gen Z TikTok creators are turning against Amazon
A coalition of top TikTok stars are refusing to work with Amazon until the company meets the demands of the Amazon Labor Union and provides a healthy workplace environment for its employees.
The #PeopleOverPrime group is part of Gen Z for Change, a non profit advocacy organization which includes Olivia Julianna. You know her for recently raising over $2M for abortion rights groups. The creators hope to use their clout on TikTok to gain more support for the requests of Amazon’s workers.
“The campaign is a public setback for Amazon,” noted the Washington Post article (which is super interesting since they’re both owned by Jeff Bezos — awkward company holiday party alert!). The online retailer had made a big push to work with influencers around Prime Day this year, hosted "creator houses" in LA, NY and Austin and built out a VIP lounge at VidCon.
Now, if they can’t come to a suitable resolution, Amazon could see itself shunned by influencers and shut out of one of the largest social platforms in the world.
💰 Amazon is upping its pitch for influencer marketing with new tools
Even as Amazon struggles with TikTok creators, the e-commerce giant is actively taking steps to attract advertisers and creators to its influencer marketing program, according to Insider.
Amazon is testing a new tool named Creator Connections that matches brands with creators and pays out more than standard commission rates, possibly bypassing its embattled reputation on the social platforms. This also fits in with a report that the company is testing a TikTok-like feed in their app. The company is also actively looking for brand sponsors for its influencer trips, starting at a $35K buy-in.
🛍 Nordstrom is shaking up its influencer-marketing strategy and investing more in 'awareness-driving' campaigns
Nordstrom is reportedly dialing down its influencer efforts. According to Insider, the company is focusing more on "awareness-driving" campaigns than it has in previous years, and beyond the commission-based deals it's known for. There are even reports that the company cut influencers' commission rates this year but Insider couldn’t find anyone who wanted to go on record and discuss their rates.
It’s an interesting contrast to the creators who have no issues speaking out about Amazon. It seems to indicate that even if Nordstrom is giving up on the influencers who helped propel the Anniversary Sale to the “Super Bowl of swipe-ups” status, the influencers aren’t giving up on Nordstrom. Yet.
☕️ Chamberlain Coffee raises $7M as it plots retail expansion
Modern Retail asked for my thoughts on the challenges of an influencer-led brand after Emma Chamberlain raised a $7 million Series A round for her coffee company. My take: Emma is Chamberlain Coffee’s biggest asset and a potential liability. As the brand grows, it needs to find customers who love Chamberlain Coffee because it’s a great product, not because they’re loyal Emma Chamberlain fans. The most recent investment should help with that.
📆 COMING UP
The American Influencer Council is going to host a State of Career Creators on Instagram town hall - moderated by me and featuring Clara for Creators’ Christen Nino De Guzman and Hashtag Pay Me’s Cynthia Ruff - on Wednesday, August 31, 3:00 to 4:30 pm PT/6:00 to 7:30 pm ET. RSVP here.
📣 QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The payoff, though, will not be “power” for these small creators: the implication of entertainment being dictated by recommendations and AI instead of reputation and ranking is that all of the power accrues to the platform doing the recommending.”
-Ben Thompson, recapping the shift we’re seeing from platforms focused on social media to AI and algorithm recommendations in: Instagram, TikTok, and the Three Trends The prediction is not a positive one for creators, since it suggests individual connections would lose out to trending content. Imagine a world where influencers are replaced by Minions.
🧮 DATA OF THE WEEK
“YouTube stands out as the most common online platform teens use out of the platforms measured, with 95% saying they ever use this site or app. Majorities also say they use TikTok (67%), Instagram (62%) and Snapchat (59%).”
-Results from the Pew Research Center’s Teens, Social Media, Technology 2022 report, which notes that about one-in-five teens visit or use YouTube ‘almost constantly’.
👩🏽🤝👨🏻 PEOPLE
Tom Holland is taking a break from social media for his mental health -Instagram
I’m late to the Reece Feldman party but you should absolutely follow GuyWithaMovieCamera on TikTok
CEO Posted Crying Selfie After Layoffs To Show Execs Are ‘Normal People’ Too -Vice
📖 ALSO ON MY READING LIST…
Avatars need their nails done, too. Enter the metaverse side hustle. -NBCNews
TikToker TayBeepBoop gets real about managing mental health and the burnout of hustle culture -DailyDot
Cameo will sell ten-minute live video chats with celebrities -TubeFilter
Shopify launches Collabs, a new way for creators to earn revenue on the platform -TechCrunch
Can brands launched by early influencers-turned-founders continue to thrive? -Vogue Business
Does Mark Zuckerberg Not Understand How Bad His Metaverse Looks? -Forbes
Khaby Lame, TikTok’s most followed star, granted Italian citizenship -TheGuaradian
TikTok to clamp down on paid political posts by influencers ahead of US midterms -CNN
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About Me: I’m CMO at Fit Body App, an award-winning fitness app founded by an influencer-turned-entrepreneur. I also teach influencer marketing and social media marketing at UCLA. I’m on the board of Social Media Club Los Angeles and a Professional Member Advisor of the American Influencer Council.
Fun Fact: I took a gap year between high school and university to backpack around Australia.